Companies’ environmentally friendly ways honored

Two Snohomish County companies were honored Wednesday for finding creative, green ways to do business and improve the environment.

MicroGreen Polymers in Arlington and Canyon Creek Cabinet Company in Monroe received the awards in Spokane from the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business association.

Those were two of eight companies statewide recognized for their environmental efforts.

Canyon Creek won an award for Leading Environmental Practices. Those practices include meeting some of the strictest environmental rules in the world, from Japan’s 4-Star certification to the California Air Resources Board requirements.

The company also replaced its 2006-era trucks with newer, cleaner models. And the company helped establish the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program.

In one case, Canyon Creek saved $10,000 a year by buying clean, used rags from a sheet metal fabricator in Kent.

Canyon Creek also processes used solvent and sells it to other companies for cleaning metals — turning hazardous waste into new and useful products.

MicroGreen was one of two companies that won the Environmental Innovator award for its drinking cup made out of recycled plastic that’s intended to be used over and over.

MicroGreen was created through research by students at the University of Washington and has been embraced by several food service businesses and airlines like Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and United Airlines. MicroGreen recycles plastic — including plastic water bottles — into cups that are themselves recyclable. Their process emits no volatile organic compounds during manufacture.

MicroGreen’s CEO and President Tom Malone gave the keynote address for the awards ceremony at The Davenport Hotel in Spokane. This is the 22nd year for the environmental awards.